We had a recent discovery in our family for our little one and we just had to share! Like many, we often have a really hard time finding something that our new 2-year-old enjoys eating let alone finishes on his plate. Sure, there are some things that he will eat well and pretty consistently, but almost nothing that he will eat every time and enjoy. Par for the course, right? We have tried meals in the air fryer such as zucchini bites, sweet potato bites, cauliflower, broccoli, and recently edamame. But of course, typically it’s the mac & cheese, pizza, and fish sticks that he will eat consistently. This can be a tough balance with wanting to get the veggies in, even if we sneak them in some chickpea pasta or veggie burger bites.
But recently we stumbled upon a new discovery that had been on our shelf the whole time and he definitely loves it. that’s right, polenta! Bob’s Mill polenta to be exact. Each time we’ve shared this wonder with him he’s thoroughly enjoyed it and eats almost all of it just about every time. When reading up on this, we were reminded how important consistency is when it comes to toddler food. He loves that he can eat it with a spoon, fork, or of course his hand! He also likes the way it tastes. You may have already known this, but this being our first child we had to learn that babies really do like more bland foods.
Another one of our son’s favorite foods is steel-cut oatmeal. I only mention this because it should have been a big clue that he would like something like polenta. We prepare him some steel-cut oatmeal with just a little coconut sugar and butter and he is one happy boy. He even asks for it on Saturday morning now! Like oatmeal, polenta is nice and creamy and can be eaten with a fork, spoon, or hand. Of course, they taste very different but they have many similarities that our toddler loves.
Ingredients for Making Polenta
You can find the instructions for making polenta below. But it’s so simple. To get started, you just need to boil 3 cups of water for each cup of polenta you want to make. That’s it! You can find the rest of the recipe instructions below in the next section. I would recommend that you use a medium-sized nonstick stovetop saucepan to create this dish. And of course, you can add a little salt to taste, or your secret spice ingredient if you like.
What is Polenta?
Another huge plus is that polenta is technically a vegetable. It’s made from cornmeal. It can be fried or baked, but making it fresh on the stovetop is how we recommend making this classic, quick, and delicious dish.
We’ve saved our very favorite feature of polenta for last. Polenta can be in your child’s place in less than 10 minutes. You heard right! Simply boil the water necessary for making Bob Mill’s Polenta on the stovetop, reduce heat, and cook for 5-6 minutes covered, remove from heat, let stand a couple of minutes and it’s ready to eat! It will be very hot so be sure to let stand completely. But not too long because it will also cool quickly. There’s a delicate balance here but you will figure it out quickly!
Other Options
There are some great options to choose from if you decide to have polenta for your toddler. You can always go with broccoli or cauliflower, fruit like watermelon or grapes, and maybe even some yogurt or a veggie pouch for dessert. But polenta is so versatile and especially because it is a vegetable, you can mix and match it with many different options. Also, to switch it up, you can put it in the air fryer or in the oven to give a different presentation. But one thing is for certain. This will be a staple in our home. Bob’s Mill is a very high-quality product that is just $4.75 for a 24 oz. pack this is a great affordable dinner option. We hope you love it! Please let us know how it goes for you and please leave a comment!
